Man jailed for assaulting junior golfers
26th January, 2012 by Alistair Dunsmuir
The father of a boy who won a junior golf tournament has been given a suspended jail sentence for assaulting the boy, and his brother, in an attempt to improve their golf skills.
The 33-year-old man, who can not be named for legal reasons, gave golf lessons to the boys, aged eight and six, at his local golf club every day, and would use violence if they made mistakes. This included biting and pinching them, throwing golf balls at them and hitting them with clubs.
The incidents came to light when a teacher asked one of the boys about a mark on his face.
At Burnley Crown Court the man was sentenced to a year in jail, suspended for two years, after he admitted two counts of assault causing actual bodily harm and one of common assault. He has now separated from the family and is only allowed contact with the boys via the local authority.
Judge Beverley Lunt told the man his actions were “beyond belief”.
“This is child cruelty,” she said. “It’s inexcusable and I do not believe any right-thinking person could make any sense of it whatsoever.
“If you permit your obsession with golf to overcome you again and lay a finger on either of them, you will immediately come back before me and I will send you to prison.”
Defence lawyer Carolyn Smith added: “He had an almost obsessive desire for his sons to become championship golf players.”
It was revealed in court that the eight-year-old had won a junior golf tournament.
